The key EFL rule that could affect Cardiff City, Swansea C

The key EFL rule that could affect Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County's transfer dealings


Wednesday 23rd May 2019


Clubs in the English Football League may need to focus their attention in the transfer window this summer in order to adhere to the EFL’s guidelines.

Cardiff City and Swansea City will both be operating in the second tier next term and will no doubt hope to add players to their squads over the course of the summer transfer window.

Strict rules are in place that mean every club in the EFL has to name at least seven homegrown players in every matchday squad - with failure to do so resulting in teams being forced to play with a smaller substitutes' bench.

First introduced ahead of the 2018/19 season, the rules are significantly different to those in the Premier League - which require clubs to name at least eight home-grown players in their 25-man squad for the season.

With such fierce implications for those found guilty, it could significantly alter the approach for clubs in the summer transfer market - and is likely to drive up the asking price for home-grown players on the move.

The same rules do of course apply to Newport County who bid to gain promotion into League One this weekend when they face Tranmere Rovers in the play-off final at Wembley.


Clauses 33.8 and 33.9 of the EFL's rules and regulations - found in section 5: fixtures - read as follows:

"33.8: Home Grown Players. Each Club shall be required to nominate a minimum of seven Home Grown Players on their Team Sheet of Players for all League Competition Matches (including Play Off Matches)."

In other words, for every EFL game, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport's 18-man squad needs to have seven players who qualify as home grown.



And what does that mean? We're glad you ask. The rules explain:

The Championship rules are different to those in the Premier League
33.9: Home Grown Player’ shall mean a Player who irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with:-

33.9.1: his current Club; and/or

33.9.2: a Club and/or any other football club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales, for a period, continuous or not of three Seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21).

For the purposes of this definition of Home Grown Player only, a Season will be deemed to commence on the date on which the Summer Transfer Window in that Season closes (including the Extended Period) and expire on the date of the final League Match of the Season.

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

don't see us having any issues with this, we have loads..

How random that you post this today - we have just been reviewing all of players in preparation for the input into UEFA Time system for the upcoming champions league preliminary rounds.

We have 3 club trained and 4 association trained so would allow us to take a maximum of 24 players if we want to including three keepers. You also have a B list which is for youth players but some can be included here bur could be 1st team players - there is more to it than you think.

This will not impact on Cardiff City and even if did might mean you take one less sub but highly unlikely.

Annis - where did this story come from ?

of the 25 man squad that ended last season 4 have left { gunner plus the 3 loaned players }
and of the remaining 21 sixteen qualify as homegrown.

It’s a bit of a strange rule to make.

There’s not going to be a club even close to breaking it is there?

It’s a bit of a strange rule to make.

There’s not going to be a club even close to breaking it is there?

Believe it or not, I think norwich were struggling to meet it as they had alot of foreigners in their squad this season, I think I remember a commentator pointing out they had to drop certain players from their 18 at times purely because they were lacking in home grown players.

Bit of a odd one yes because there is always going to be a large amount of British based players in squads in the EFL. Majority of normal starting 11 is home grown let alone our entire squad so I can't see this rule affecting us in any way.

It’s a bit of a strange rule to make.

There’s not going to be a club even close to breaking it is there?

thought exactly the same ...but seems we are wrong...

Can you imagine some of the Prem clubs having to do this as well?

Can you imagine some of the Prem clubs having to do this as well?

some are struggling to find 8 to put into their 25.
makes Arsenals lack of real effort to keep Ramsey a bit bonkers..